Grip attachments for golf clubs



Feb. 5, 1957 ASHLEY 2,780,464

GRIP ATTACHMENTS FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed Jan. 4, '1954 United States Patent GRIP ATTACHMENTS FOR GOLF CLUBS Merwin F. Ashley, Arlington, Mass.

Application January 4, 1954, Serial No. 401,879

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-165) The present invention has for its principal object the provision of improved means associated with the handle or grip of a golf club shaft to assist the golfer in consistently positioning his hands about the shaft in proper relation to the club head, and then to assist in maintaining this proper grip firmly throughout the swing of the club. Other objects are to provide such means in a simple, inexpensive attachment which may be readily applied, adjusted or removed as need or convenience may require.

As is well known, the proper gripping of a golf club shaft is usually found awkward and unnatural for beginners, and even experienced golfers are prone occasionally to grip the shaft with their hands improperly oriented with respect to the striking face of the club. Another fault, equally common, is occasioned by relaxing the grip and regripping the club shaft as the club is swung, usually at the top of the back swing when the direction of the club is being reversed to strike at the ball. I have found the herein described device highly effective in overcoming each of these common faults.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved device applied to the grip or handle portion of a golf club shaft;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are further perspective views illustrating the way in which the device is related to the hands of the player to obtain its advantages in use; and Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing a modification of the device.

As illustrated in the drawings, the attachment is preferably made in one piece of elastic material, such as rubber, formed to provide a strap portion and tubular end portions 11 and 12, respectively. The outer end portion 11 is made with an inside diameter closely corresponding to the largest diameter of the handle portion 21 of the club shaft 20 over which it is stretched, so that it will surround the handle in firm, non-slipping engagement. The strap portion 10 is of a length greater than required to span over three fingers, its length being otherwise not critical. The inner tubular end portion 12 of the device may closely engage the shaft handle or, preferably, it may fit loosely so that it will slide on the shaft to permit the fingers of the golfer to be readily inserted or Withdrawn from under the strap 10. Because of the usual taper of the club handle, the diameter of the tubular end portions may be alike and still obtain 2,780,464 Fatented Feb. 5, 1957 the essential tight fit at 11 and the preferred sliding engagement at 12. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the device as it is used by a right-handed golfer and its use will be so described. However, it will be understood that the attachment is equally useful for left-handed players using left-handed clubs with the position of the hands reversed in relation to the club shaft and the grip attachment.

In use, the handle end of the golf club shaft 21 is successively threaded through the tubular end portions 12 and 11, which are stretched and rotated as may be necessary to bring the portion 11 tightly about the shaft adjacent to its handle end with the Strap 10 extending substantially parallel with the shaft in position to insure proper grip when the strap is engaged over the last three fingers of the players left hand adjacent to the knuckle joints. Thus it will be seen that with the strap firmly fixed in position on the shaft, the golfer may again and again grip the shaft in exactly the same position in relation to the club head by merely inserting the last three fingers of his left hand under the strap 10 until the strap engages over the first phalanges of the three fingers. To complete the grip of the left hand, the thumb is placed against the shaft and the index finger is gripped over the inner terminal end of the strap 10 to press the strap down toward or against the club shaft, thus tightening the strap over the other fingers. The position of the right hand is of minor importance, comparatively, and is found in relation to the left hand in accordance with orthodox practices. The proper grip thus established by aid of the attachment is then firmly held without muscular strain even in weak hands, and the common tendency to relax the grip of the fingers at the top of the back swing is entirely eliminated. In fact, the grip of the fingers confined under the strap cannot be released without first releasing the grasp of the index finger, and experience has shown that there is no tendency to do this, probably because to do so would result in letting go of the club entirely.

As shown in Figure 5, the tubular portion 11 may be provided with a wall 11 closing its outer end to form a cap into which the handle end of the shaft may be socketed. This minimizes the requirement for a tight fit of the member 11 about the shaft handle but sacrifices the opportunity for selective positioning of the device lengthwise of the shaft.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A grip attachment for golf clubs comprising a pair of axially aligned tubular members spaced apart and connected together by a strap, said members being adapted to embrace the handle of a golf club with said strap extending substantially parallel thereto, the strap and said members being formed in one piece of elastic material and at least one of said members having an internal diameter closely corresponding to the largest diameter of the club handle for tight engagement therewith, said strap having length adequate to confine three fingers against the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

